Thursday, November 16, 2017

CHRIS HERREN: A LIFE CHANGING STORY

By DEVIN LEWIS

Over the course of a student’s time at Washingtonville High School, he or she will sit in on countless presentations and assemblies.  Some may effect students for a day, maybe a week, if lucky.  This was not the case when Fall River legend, Chris Herren, came to Washingtonville to share his poignant story with the student body on November 15th.  Mr. Herren left Washingtonville students with a whole new perspective on life.

PHOTO BY THE WIZARD WEEKLY
From playing in the McDonald’s All American Game and being featured on Rolling Stone and Sports Illustrated magazines, to playing for his home city as a Boston Celtic in the NBA, Chris had the world at his fingertips.  Unfortunately, drug addiction got the best of the basketball stud and ended his career way too early.  Throughout his lifetime, Chris has overdosed on four different occasions along with obtaining seven drug related felonies.  However, Herren’s story was far from over.

The Durfee High School star never believed drugs would become an issue for him.  When Chris was asked if he ever thought drug addiction would become such a significant problem for him, he stated, “Never.  I think when it comes to drugs and alcohol, we talk about the worst day and not the first day.”  Chris went on to express, “I don’t think any kid goes out in the woods and drinks a few beers and thinks they’re going to suffer from it later in life.”

Herren decided to use the challenges he would eventually overcome in order to help others.  In the midst of his recovery, he decided he was going to give back to the world and make a difference. This wasn't through the actions of donating money, but by telling kids, athletes, and adults of his experiences with drug addiction. Herren travels the nation motivating kids of all ages to make smart choices. 

DEVIN LEWIS FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY
This courageous act is far from easy for Chris, but it seriously makes a difference to students across the world. He asserted, “The fact that I’ve witnessed so many kids over the last seven years that are able to stay away from it, lead by example, be brave enough to stay who they are, and not fall victim to social pressure is an amazing quality.”  Chris added, “We all have a beginning and no one knows how it’s going to end.”

Chris Herren’s son is following a similar path on the court earning an offer from Boston College, where, coincidentally,  Chris started out his own collegiate career.  Chris Herren Jr. is only a junior in high school, but feels a tremendous amount of pressure to make smart choices off the court and stay away from the negligent path that his father went down.  Chris exclaimed, “The beauty of sports is that there are so many highs and lows.  I just want to be a father who helps him through both.” 


As Chris Herren stated in his presentation, there are kids battling drug problems every day in Washingtonville, whether it's with themselves personally or with family and friends.  When Chris speaks, he reaches these individuals and definitely encourages them to keep fighting. 

Ryan Hendricks, a sophomore at Washingtonville High School, was especially grateful for Chris’ speech. Hendricks expressed, “Personally, I believe it helped a lot as it gave me good advice on how to figure out my own personal situation with losing my mother due to a drug overdose when I was 18 months old.” He added, “I feel as if it definitely impacted a lot of people sitting in that auditorium.” Hendricks is loved by everyone in Washingtonville and continues to get support from his friends and family along the way.


Chris Herren’s story will continue to serve as motivation for, not just students, but people of all ages across the world. For those at Washingtonville High School going through a rough time, whether it relates to drug abuse or not, Chris Herren encouraged them to feel comfortable talking about it.  Friends, teachers, guidance counselors and support staff alike would be honored to help any student that is struggling.

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